This piece was composed and recorded when I was a student at York University, most likely a partial result of attending the late James Tenney’s course on the music of Charles Ives and hearing the latter composer’s Three Quarter-Tone Pieces. Although I took the time to prepare a neat modular score (see below), my involvement… Continue reading Quarter-Tone Study
Category: Compositions
Queen Peace
Today is Philip Glass’ birthday, my birthday and also the birthday of my first child, Aderemi. In honour of the last celebrant, I’m posting a piece from a suite I wrote for her in the year of her birth. Aderemi is a Yoruba name and translates “the crown brings peace.” This is a very simple,… Continue reading Queen Peace
Kenza’s 40 Days
Our daughter has been with us 40 days, which is a significant milestone in Islam. The number 40 appears a great deal in the literature of all the Abrahamic religions. “Fourths + Fifths” is the first movement of the three-movement work Kenza (2012). It is structured around a sequence of six diatonic modes, each associated… Continue reading Kenza’s 40 Days
Anni
Anni is for solo piano in three movements; the first and last a prelude and postlude, respectively, to the longer and more developed middle. I have posted the audio for this movement only. The key of the second movement is ambiguous during the opening chorale, then settles into A major/F-sharp minor. It is based around… Continue reading Anni
Madra, for string quartet
This work has had two incarnations. It began as Gram, a modular short score for variable instrumentation. It consisted mostly of single measures with repeat signs and a suggested number of repetitions shown just above. The title page indicated the score could be played by two percussionists and/or piano/synthesizer and/or string quartet. Performers were essentially… Continue reading Madra, for string quartet
John Williams is 80
(Originally posted on sleepsong, April 21, 2009. Happy 80th birthday, Maestro!) When John Met Igor Older fans of traditional film scores and/or 20th century music will know this one. And almost everyone knows the main musical theme to the 1975 film Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg and his first major success as well as generally… Continue reading John Williams is 80
Cadence Canon (On Eight Notes)
g’/d’ b♭’/d’ b♭’/f#’ b’/f#’ b’/e’ a♭’/e’ a♭’/c’ g’/c’ a♭/c g/c g/d b♭/d b♭/f# b/f# b/e a♭/e (2008)
Chord Canons (On Seven Notes)
I. g”/c” c”/f’ a’/f’ e”/a’ e”/b’ d”/b’ g”/d” a/f e’/a e’/b d’/b g’/d’ g’/c’ c’/f II. b’/e’ b’/g’ … Continue reading Chord Canons (On Seven Notes)
Superscription
“Sequence, symmetry & simplicity”–my composer’s motto, 1996. 15 years later, inspiration strikes and the same schemes still seem sparkly.
Canon on Six Notes
Musical symmetry in the eponymous string quartet I wrote for my grandmother Madra, who would’ve been 105 this year: a”/d’ d”/f’ f”/c’ c”/g’ g”/e’ e”/a’ (1998)
EL MAHBOOB 